Fifteen months after California voters made recreational marijuana legal, thousands of people in Fresno County are still carrying convictions for activities no longer considered crimes.

Prop 64 changed everything when it comes to marijuana laws. Not only did it legalize recreational marijuana, allowing people to have up to an ounce, it also applied retroactively to just about everyone ever convicted of a marijuana crime.

Defense attorneys estimate 10,000 people in Fresno County alone are eligible to have misdemeanors dismissed or felonies reduced to misdemeanors -- which could drastically change their lives.

"It's the best thing you can do to clear your record in terms of employment, education, etc.," said legal analyst Tony Capozzi.

Capozzi says the new law didn't make it easy to get rid of their criminal records.

"(You have to) go out and try to find a lawyer, hire them," he said. "Most people can't afford it. I don't think the public defender's office can handle the volume of cases coming in at this point."

The process starts by getting a petition, filling it out, and submitting it to the courts. Critics say it can be costly and may require legal help.